News

Proposed guidelines for schools on how to teach Relationship and Sex Education “problematises religion”

They argue that the proposed guidelines for schools on how to teach Relationship and Sex Education (RSE) “problematise religion” and “exceptionalise people of faith”.

From September 2020, it will become compulsory for all secondary schools in England to teach RSE, and for all primary schools to teach Relationship Education.

But the lack of encouragement in the guidance for mainstream schools to teach pupils about religious perspectives on relationships could lead to negative stereotyping of faith communities, according to the CoE. Such an approach may lead to prejudice against religious people which runs counter to equalities laws, they add.

In their submission to the Department for Education’s (DfE) consultation on the guidelines, the CoE say they are “at a loss” to understand why schools have not been asked to include religious views in their RSE classes.

The Education Secretary published a proposal in July outlining new subjects to teach children about good physical and mental health, how to stay safe on and offline, and the importance of healthy relationships. A four month consultation – which attracted over 8,000 responses – closed this week.

The guidance says that while faith schools may teach “distinctive faith perspectives” in RSE lessons, other non-religious schools may wish to introduce these views during Religious Education classes.

The new Sex and Relationship Education guidance will be available in 2019

Nigel Genders, the CoE's chief education officer, said: "Our principal focus today has been to ensure that mainstream views held by people of faith are welcomed and understood.

"We are concerned that, although the draft guidance makes it clear that schools of a faith character may teach faith perspectives within RSE, it seems to indicate that other schools would only cover this within the subject area of Religion Education. "We believe that there is a risk here of ghettoising faith perspectives on relationships, wrongly suggesting that they are only relevant to pupils attending schools of a religious character.

"This, we believe, serves to problematise religion, rather than giving children and young people the skills and knowledge they need for life in pluralistic communities with diverse belief, faith, religion and culture."

He added that the CoE welcomed much of what was proposed, such as the inclusion of health education, the need to show respect for LGBTI+ people and to teach about sexual orientation in the secondary phase.

Under the proposals, for the first time pupils in state-funded schools would study compulsory health education, and at primary school would be taught the building blocks and characteristics of positive relationships.

Plans also include compulsory RSE in secondary schools, aiming to give young people the information they need to develop healthy, nurturing relationships of all kinds.

And in both primary and secondary schools children would be taught about online relationships, and internet safety and harm. The new guidance will be available in 2019 and schools will be required to teach the subjects from 2020.

Mr Hinds said: "We are making the study of relationships, sex and health education compulsory to make sure our young people grow up learning how to deal with the pressures of the modern world.

"The importance of this work, and the strength of feeling around this subject, has been underlined by the fact that more than 8,000 people and organisations have responded to the consultation on the draft guidance - as well as the 23,000 responses we received during the call for evidence.

"We will now consider the consultation responses ahead of publishing the new guidance so young people are learning the skills, knowledge and resilience that will help them thrive when they leave school."

By Camilla TurnerEducation EditorSource: The Telegraph

Available on the go

Once you are registered, you can access all of these key benefits straight from your phone. Find us on: